{"collection":"Majjhima Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_mn66/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_mn66","id":"suttacentral_mn66","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/mn66/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Majjhima Nikaya"],"text":"So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the A\u1e45guttar\u0101pans, near the town of theirs named \u0100pa\u1e47a. Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered \u0100pa\u1e47a for alms. He wandered for alms in \u0100pa\u1e47a. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he went to a certain forest grove for the day\u2019s meditation. Having plunged deep into it, he sat at the root of a certain tree to meditate. Venerable Ud\u0101y\u012b also robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered \u0100pa\u1e47a for alms. He wandered for alms in \u0100pa\u1e47a. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he went to that forest grove for the day\u2019s meditation. Having plunged deep into it, he sat at the root of a certain tree to meditate. Then as Venerable Ud\u0101y\u012b was in private retreat this thought came to his mind: \u201cThe Buddha has rid us of so many things that bring suffering and gifted us so many things that bring happiness! He has rid us of so many unskillful things and gifted us so many skillful things!\u201d Then in the late afternoon, Ud\u0101y\u012b came out of retreat and went to the Buddha. He bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: \u201cJust now, sir, as I was in private retreat this thought came to mind: \u2018The Buddha has rid us of so many things that bring suffering and gifted us so many things that bring happiness! He has rid us of so many unskillful things and gifted us so many skillful things!\u2019 For we used to eat at dusk, at daybreak, and at the wrong time of day. But then there came a time when the Buddha addressed the mendicants, saying, \u2018Please, mendicants, give up that meal at the wrong time of day.\u2019 At that, sir, we became sad and upset, \u2018But these faithful householders give us delicious fresh and cooked foods at the wrong time of day. And the Blessed One tells us to give it up! The Holy One tells us to let it go!\u2019 But when we considered our fondness and respect for the Buddha, and our sense of conscience and prudence, we gave up that meal at the wrong time of day. Then we ate at dusk and daybreak. But then there came a time when the Buddha addressed the mendicants, saying, \u2018Please, mendicants, give up that meal at the wrong time of night.\u2019 At that, sir, we became sad and upset, \u2018But that\u2019s considered the more delicious of the two meals. And the Blessed One tells us to give it up! The Holy One tells us to let it go!\u2019 Once it so happened that a certain person got some soup during the day. He said, \u2018Come, let\u2019s set this aside; we\u2019ll enjoy it together this evening.\u2019 Nearly all meals are prepared at night, only a few in the day. But when we considered our love and respect for the Buddha, and our sense of conscience and prudence, we gave up that meal at the wrong time of night. In the past, mendicants went wandering for alms in the dark of the night. They walked into a swamp, or fell into a sewer, or collided with a thorn bush, or collided with a sleeping cow, or encountered youths escaping a crime or on their way to commit one, or were invited by a lady to commit a lewd act. Once it so happened that I was wandering for alms in the dark of the night. A woman washing a pot saw me by a flash of lightning. Startled, she cried out, \u2018Woe is me! It\u2019s a damn goblin!\u2019 When she said this, I said to her, \u2018Sister, I am no goblin. I\u2019m a mendicant waiting for alms.\u2019 \u2018Die, mendicant\u2019s father! Die, mendicant\u2019s mother! Better to have your belly sliced open with a sharp meat cleaver than to wander for alms in the dark of night for the sake of your belly!\u2019 Recollecting that, I thought, \u2018The Buddha has rid us of so many things that bring suffering and gifted us so many things that bring happiness! He has rid us of so many unskillful things and gifted us so many skillful things!\u2019\u201d \u201cThis is exactly what happens when some futile people are told by me to give something up. They say, \u2018What, such a trivial, trifling thing as this? This ascetic is much too strict!\u2019 They don\u2019t give it up, and they nurse bitterness toward me; and for the mendicants eager to train, that becomes a strong, firm, stout bond, a tie that has not rotted, and a heavy yoke. Suppose a quail was tied with a vine, and was waiting there to be injured, caged, or killed. Would it be right to say that, for that quail, that vine is weak, feeble, rotten, and insubstantial?\u201d \u201cNo, sir. For that quail, that vine is a strong, firm, stout bond, a tie that has not rotted, and a heavy yoke.\u201d \u201cIn the same way, when some futile people are told by me to give something up, they say, \u2018What, such a trivial, trifling thing as this? This ascetic is much too strict!\u2019 They don\u2019t give it up, and they nurse bitterness toward me; and for the mendicants eager to train, that becomes a strong, firm, stout bond, a tie that has not rotted, and a heavy yoke. But when some gentlemen are told by me to give something up, they say, \u2018What, we just have to give up such a trivial, trifling thing as this, when the Blessed One tells us to give it up, the Holy One tells us to let it go?\u2019 They give it up, and they don\u2019t nurse bitterness toward me; and when the mendicants eager to train have given that up, they live relaxed, unruffled, surviving on charity, their hearts free as a wild deer. For them, that bond is weak, feeble, rotten, and insubstantial. Suppose there was a royal bull elephant with tusks like draft-poles, able to draw a heavy load, pedigree and battle-hardened. And it was bound with a strong harness. But just by twisting its body a little, it would break apart its bonds and go wherever it wants. Would it be right to say that, for that bull elephant, that strong harness is a strong, firm, stout bond, a tie that has not rotted, and a heavy yoke?\u201d \u201cNo, sir. For that bull elephant, that strong harness is weak, feeble, rotten, and insubstantial.\u201d \u201cIn the same way, when some gentlemen are told by me to give something up, they say, \u2018What, we just have to give up such a trivial, trifling thing as this, when the Blessed One tells us to give it up, the Holy One tells us to let it go?\u2019 They give it up, and they don\u2019t nurse bitterness toward me; and when the mendicants eager to train have given that up, they live relaxed, unruffled, surviving on charity, their hearts free as a wild deer. For them, that bond is weak, feeble, rotten, and insubstantial. Suppose there was a poor man, with few possessions and little wealth. He had a single broken-down hovel open to the crows, not the best sort; a single broken-down couch, not the best sort; a single pot for storing grain, not the best sort; and a single wifey, not the best sort. He\u2019d see a mendicant sitting in meditation in the cool shade, their hands and feet well washed after eating a satisfying meal. He\u2019d think, \u2018The ascetic life is so very pleasant! The ascetic life is so very healthy! If only I could shave off my hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from the lay life to homelessness.\u2019 But he\u2019s not able to give up his broken-down hovel, his broken-down couch, his pot for storing grain, or his wifey\u2014none of which are the best sort\u2014in order to go forth. Would it be right to say that, for that man, those bonds are weak, feeble, rotten, and insubstantial?\u201d \u201cNo, sir. For that man, they are a strong, firm, stout bond, a tie that has not rotted, and a heavy yoke.\u201d \u201cIn the same way, when some futile people are told by me to give something up, they say, \u2018What, such a trivial, trifling thing as this? This ascetic is much too strict!\u2019 They don\u2019t give it up, and they nurse bitterness toward me; and for the mendicants eager to train, that becomes a strong, firm, stout bond, a tie that has not rotted, and a heavy yoke. Suppose there was a rich householder or householder\u2019s child, affluent, and wealthy. He had a vast amount of gold ingots, grain, fields, lands, wives, and male and female bondservants. He\u2019d see a mendicant sitting in meditation in the cool shade, their hands and feet well washed after eating a satisfying meal. He\u2019d think, \u2018The ascetic life is so very pleasant! The ascetic life is so very healthy! If only I could shave off my hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from the lay life to homelessness.\u2019 And he is able to give up his vast amount of gold ingots, grain, fields, lands, wives, and male and female bondservants in order to go forth. Would it be right to say that, for that householder, they are a strong, firm, stout bond, a tie that has not rotted, and a heavy yoke?\u201d \u201cNo, sir. For that householder, those bonds are weak, feeble, rotten, and insubstantial.\u201d \u201cIn the same way, when some gentlemen are told by me to give something up, they say, \u2018What, we just have to give up such a trivial, trifling thing as this, when the Blessed One tells us to give it up, the Holy One tells us to let it go?\u2019 They give it up, and they don\u2019t nurse bitterness toward me; and when the mendicants eager to train have given that up, they live relaxed, unruffled, surviving on charity, their hearts free as a wild deer. For them, that bond is weak, feeble, rotten, and insubstantial. Ud\u0101y\u012b, these four individuals are found in the world. What four? Take a certain individual practicing to give up and let go of attachments. As they do so, memories and thoughts connected with attachments beset them. They tolerate them and don\u2019t give them up, dispel them, eliminate them, and obliterate them. I call this individual \u2018fettered\u2019, not \u2018detached\u2019. Why is that? Because I understand the disparity of faculties as it applies to this individual. Take another individual practicing to give up and let go of attachments. As they do so, memories and thoughts connected with attachments beset them. They don\u2019t tolerate them, but give them up, dispel them, eliminate them, and obliterate them. I also call this individual \u2018fettered\u2019, not \u2018detached\u2019. Why is that? Because I understand the disparity of faculties as it applies to this individual. Take another individual practicing to give up and let go of attachments. As they do so, memories and thoughts connected with attachments beset them every so often, due to the loss of mindfulness. Slowly mindfulness arises, then they quickly give up, dispel, eliminate, and obliterate those thoughts. Suppose there was an iron cauldron that had been heated all day, and a person let two or three drops of water fall onto it. Slowly the drops fall, but then they quickly dry up and evaporate. In the same way, take an individual practicing to give up and let go of attachments. As they do so, memories and thoughts connected with attachments beset them every so often, due to the loss of mindfulness. Slowly mindfulness arises, but then they quickly give up, dispel, eliminate, and obliterate those thoughts. I also call this individual \u2018fettered\u2019, not \u2018detached\u2019. Why is that? Because I understand the disparity of faculties as it applies to this individual. Take another individual who, understanding that attachment is the root of suffering, is freed with the ending of attachments. I call this individual \u2018detached\u2019, not \u2018fettered\u2019. Why is that? Because I understand the disparity of faculties as it applies to this individual. These are the four individuals found in the world. Ud\u0101y\u012b, these are the five kinds of sensual stimulation. What five? Sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. Sounds known by the ear \u2026 Smells known by the nose \u2026 Tastes known by the tongue \u2026 Touches known by the body, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. These are the five kinds of sensual stimulation. The pleasure and happiness that arise from these five kinds of sensual stimulation is called sensual pleasure\u2014a filthy, ordinary, ignoble pleasure. Such pleasure should not be cultivated or developed, but should be feared, I say. Take a mendicant who, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption \u2026 second absorption \u2026 third absorption \u2026 fourth absorption. This is called the pleasure of renunciation, the pleasure of seclusion, the pleasure of peace, the pleasure of awakening. Such pleasure should be cultivated and developed, and should not be feared, I say. Take a mendicant who, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption. This belongs to the perturbable, I say. And what there belongs to the perturbable? Whatever placing of the mind and keeping it connected has not ceased there is what belongs to the perturbable. Take a mendicant who, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, enters and remains in the second absorption. This belongs to the perturbable, I say. And what there belongs to the perturbable? Whatever rapture and bliss has not ceased there is what belongs to the perturbable. Take a mendicant who, with the fading away of rapture, enters and remains in the third absorption. This belongs to the perturbable. And what there belongs to the perturbable? Whatever bliss with equanimity has not ceased there is what belongs to the perturbable. Take a mendicant who, giving up pleasure and pain, enters and remains in the fourth absorption. This belongs to the imperturbable, I say. Take a mendicant who, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption. But this is not enough, I say: give it up, go beyond it. And what goes beyond it? Take a mendicant who, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, enters and remains in the second absorption. That goes beyond it. But this too is not enough, I say: give it up, go beyond it. And what goes beyond it? Take a mendicant who, with the fading away of rapture, enters and remains in the third absorption. That goes beyond it. But this too is not enough, I say: give it up, go beyond it. And what goes beyond it? Take a mendicant who, giving up pleasure and pain, enters and remains in the fourth absorption. That goes beyond it. But this too is not enough, I say: give it up, go beyond it. And what goes beyond it? Take a mendicant who, going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that \u2018space is infinite\u2019, enters and remains in the dimension of infinite space. That goes beyond it. But this too is not enough, I say: give it up, go beyond it. And what goes beyond it? Take a mendicant who, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite space, aware that \u2018consciousness is infinite\u2019, enters and remains in the dimension of infinite consciousness. That goes beyond it. But this too is not enough, I say: give it up, go beyond it. And what goes beyond it? Take a mendicant who, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that \u2018there is nothing at all\u2019, enters and remains in the dimension of nothingness. That goes beyond it. But this too is not enough, I say: give it up, go beyond it. And what goes beyond it? Take a mendicant who, going totally beyond the dimension of nothingness, enters and remains in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. That goes beyond it. But this too is not enough, I say: give it up, go beyond it. And what goes beyond it? Take a mendicant who, going totally beyond the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, enters and remains in the cessation of perception and feeling. That goes beyond it. So, Ud\u0101y\u012b, I even recommend giving up the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. Do you see any fetter, large or small, that I don\u2019t recommend giving up?\u201d \u201cNo, sir.\u201d That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Venerable Ud\u0101y\u012b approved what the Buddha said.","title":"The Simile of the Quail","tradition":"Majjhima Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":2812}